Mary Lee Wolfe, age 12, of Atlanta, Ga., for her question:
WHERE DOES THE PIMENTO COME FROM?
When asked where the pimento comes from, lots of children say it comes from the center of green olives. This is certainly where you find the pimento often. But the spicy, flavorful condiment, you may be surprised to hear, actually comes from two separate plants. And the bright red, fleshy morsel you find in olives doesn't even come from the pimento plant.
Pimento is the common name of a small evergreen tree that is a member of the myrtle family. From this tree comes a popular spice known as allspice. The spice is also called pimento or Jamaica pepper. The name of the pimento tree comes from the Spanish word pimienta, which means peppercorn. The tree is native to the West Indies and most of today's commercial pimento spice comes from Jamaica.
The pimento tree usually grows to be about 20 to 30 feet tall, so you can say it is a small tree. Occasionally, however, one of the trees will stretch up to 40 feet.
The slender, upright trunk of the pimento tree has many branches at the top and is covered with smooth, gray bark. The shining green leaves are pointed and very narrow. The fruit of the tree and the leaves have an essential oil, and also a pleasant odor when fresh.
A pimento tree's fruit is a small berry that is black, glossy, sweet and very juicy when ripe. The berry grows to about the size of a black currant. The berry is the part of the tree that is used for the spice. The fruit loses much of its pleasant odor when it matures.
The red, fleshy condiment also called pimento the item you find in green olives is actually the fruit of the paprika plant and is a capsicum.
Capsicum is the name of a group of small, shrubby plants that grow in tropical America. Cayenne, or red pepper, is made
from the dried fruits of two kinds of capsicum plants. Some capsicum shrubs can be grown in cooler climates, but most of the plants thrive on extremely hot weather. Most of the fruits of capsicum plants are called peppers and are used as food, although some aren't strictly peppers. A Hungarian seasoning called paprika is made from one type of capsicum which produces a mild tasting fruit.
One type of capsicum fruit is used to produce a product which is suggested for the treatment of neuralgia. Other forms are used to treat rheumatism and sore throat. Capsicums have long, pointed leaves and bear wheel¬shaped flowers that have five petals. Capsicum plants are in the nightshade family.